# Zinc: Stocks

Why 18 years of reserves is less scary than it sounds

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/stocks/

What this tab covers How much is left and how much is held. For minerals and energy: reserves, current output, years of supply and recycling for the top five countries. For farm commodities: production, ending stocks and stocks-to-use for the top five producers (USDA, October 2026). It also covers inventories and stockpiles.

#### Top five countries: reserves, output and years of supply

| Country | Reserves Mt Zn content | Current output kt Zn content (mine, 2025e) | Years of supply | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | 60 | 4,100 | 15 | n/a |
| **Peru** | 18 | 1,500 | 12 | n/a |
| **Australia** | 64 | 1,100 | 58 | n/a |
| **India** | 10 | 870 | 11 | n/a |
| **Mexico** | 14 | 780 | 18 | n/a |

 USGS MCS 2026, Zinc (world mine production and reserves table). Years of supply = reserves ÷ current output; reserves grow as prices and technology change, so this is not a countdown.

#### Recycling

No world recycling rate was found in the sources used. The EU end-of-life recycling input rate is 34% (EU CRM study 2023). The US recovers zinc from galvanising residues and EAF dust at both its smelters but USGS does not publish a rate. Australia's JORC-compliant reserves are 19 Mt, well below the 64 Mt USGS figure.

USGS reserves are 240 million tonnes, only about 18 years of 2025 mine output. That is less alarming than it looks: identified resources are about 1.9 billion tonnes, and reserves are replenished by drilling. Recycling is moderate. Much zinc is spread thinly on steel, and the EU end-of-life recycling input rate is 34%. US smelters recover zinc from galvanising residues and electric arc furnace dust. US producer and consumer stocks of refined zinc were about 110,000 tonnes at the end of 2025.

#### Reserves
 World reserves 240,000 thousand metric tons, zinc content Reserve life 18 years at 2025 production Australia 27% China 25% Russia 12% Peru 8% Mexico 6% Largest reserve holders, share of world reserves (USGS MCS 2026). Reserves are what is economic to extract today, not what exists.

#### Recycling
 End-of-life recycling input rate in the EU: 34% of demand met from post-consumer scrap (EU CRM study 2023).

US refined zinc is partly recovered from secondary materials, including galvanising residues and crude zinc oxide from electric arc furnace dust, at both primary and secondary smelters.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/zinc/links/index.md)